IDC Finds IT Spending Still Cautious in Western Europe...

A new survey from IDC's European Vertical Markets group finds that Western European companies are continuing to take acautious approach to IT investment in 2005. While 32% of the companiessurveyed will increase the IS budget this year, only 22% will increase theshare of external spending. The trend of external spending not keeping pacewith gains in the overall IS budget is particularly evident in banking. Thesurvey also found that value-added resellers will be the primary source ofIT products and services in 2005, a trend that reflects the large number ofSMBs among European companies.

"Solutions providers can find opportunities in all of the verticals,provided they are able to assess a company's investment direction in thevery different verticals of the European economy," said Giuliana Folco,research director, European Vertical Markets.

The aim of the survey was to understand IT spending directions, solutionpriorities, and investment plans for a number of vertical markets. IDCinterviewed 1,150 companies from the top 5 Western European countriesacross the vertical markets, addressing only companies with more than 20employees. The survey's results cannot be generalized to the whole Europeanmarket.

IDC has produced a series of studies utilizing the survey findings forEurope's vertical markets. Major areas of investigation are:

- Adoption of new technologies and mobility, outsourcing, the role ofIT within the organization, and end-user satisfaction with vendors byvertical market

Studies are available for the following vertical markets: Banking;insurance and other financial services; discrete manufacturing; processmanufacturing; healthcare services; transport; telecommunications, media,and utilities; retail and wholesale; business services; education; andgovernment.

Studies based on the results from this survey focusing on all verticalmarkets and on verticals by company size include: IT Decision-Making Process and Strategies in Western EuropeanVertical Markets: An IDC Survey (Doc #M01M, July 2005)

2005 Solution Priorities in Western European Vertical Markets: An IDCSurvey (Doc #M02M, July 2005)

Mapping Solution Priorities in Western European SMBs (Doc #MM02M,July 2005)

Western European SMBs IS Operating Budget Dynamics, ChannelSelection, and Customer Satisfaction, 2005 (Doc #MM03M, July 2005)

Mobilizing the Western European SMB Workforce (Doc #MM04M, July 2005)

More studies from this survey with specific focus on each vertical areavailable for the following vertical markets: Banking; insurance and otherfinance; government; healthcare; education; transport; retail andwholesale; and manufacturing.

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IT Reseller

Established since 1997, IT Reseller is the industry-leading journal for the channel, dedicated to providing cutting-edge news and advice on a wide variety of vertical technology sectors. The editorial comprises exclusive reports on technological and market trends, together with contributions by leading solutions vendors and research analysts; helping resellers, VARs, systems integrators and distributors to secure a competitive edge by running their business more efficiently and more profitably. Regular technology themes include: Automatic Data Capture, RFID, Convergence Technology/Comms, Cloud Computing, Printing & Labelling, Document Management, Networking and UPS.